Snow plow



March 28, 1939.

J. E. MccuLLEY 2,152,200

sNow PLow I Filed Oct. 25, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 J- EL MCULLEY Mamh 28, 1939. J, E MCCULLEY 2,152,200

sNow PLow Filed oet. 23, 1957 s sheets-sheet' s A TTU/ENEA( Patented Mar. 28, 1939 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE Joseph E. McCulley, Scappoose, Oreg. Application October 23, 1937; Serial No. 170,612

' 3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to an excavating apparatus and particularly to snow plows.

The main object of this invention is a construction of an exceedingly simple and efficient form of snow plow which will be effective in operation and which will function even when the snow is of excessive depth and packedor fro-zen.

The second object isa construction of a plow which may be readily mounted on a truck which also carries the prime mover for the plow.

The third object` is'to so construct the plow that regardless of the depth or condition of the snow, itrwill always be possible for air` to enter the fans 'and thereby carry away the snow which is loosened bythe snow removing ele-ments.

I accomplish these and other objects in the manner set forth in the following specification as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the device.

Fig. 2 is a section taken along the line 2-2 in Figure 1. l Y

Fig. 3 is a horizontalsection taken along the line 3--3 in Figure 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the side of the plowing element. Y 1

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 5 5 in Figure 3'.

Fig. 6 is` a fragmentary section taken along the line 6 6 in Figure 4.

Fig. 7 is a section taken along the line 1-1 in Figure 6.

Fig. Bis a section takenalong the'line 8-8 in Fig. .5.

Fig. 9-is a fragmentary section taken along the line 9--9`in Fig. 3.

Fig. 10` is a fragmentary section taken along the line IIJ-I0 in Fig. 5;

Fig. 11 is a section taken along the line I I-I Il in Fig. 10.

Similar numeralsV refer to similar parts' throughout the several views. ,V

Referring in detail tothe drawings, there is sho-wn a'common form of 'a truck I5, who-se frame I6 is supported by the Wheels I1. On the frame I6 is mounted the separate power plant I8 provided with power take-off sprocket wheels I9. On the frame I6 is disposed the pivot shaft 20 50 which supports the forward ends ZI of the plow beams 22. Each beam 22 is supported by a link 23 from the bell crank lever 24 which is connected by means-of apiston 25 to the hydraulic actuator 26. The details of the mechanism of the actuator 26 are not explained here as they form no part of the present inventionv and furthermore the use thereof is well understood;

On the rearward end of' each plow beam 2'2 is mounted the side wall 21 between which is secured theplatform 2-8 around which can travel the conveyor 29 which passes around the sprocket wheels 3I'I` and 3-I- whose shafts 32" and 33 project through the side walls 21 and journal there- Between the side Walls 21 is disposed the transverse wall 34 which is provided with the openings 35. Fan casings 36 enclose the front side ofthe openings 35and have a common discharge duct 31 provided with a laterally turned snow discharge pipe 38 which may be turned in any desired direction. Each fan 39 is mounted on a shaft 4I)` which journals` in the bearing 4I and each shaft 40 has provided on its forward end a pinion 42 which matches with gear 43 on the transverse shact'ty 44. Rotary motion is supplied to the shaft from the sprocket wheels 41 on the pivot shaft ZIJthrough the chains 45 and the sprocket wheels 46 and 41. 'I'he chains 48 pass around the power sprocket wheels I9, and the driven sprocketl wheel 49 on the shaft 2l).

The rear portion ofthe plow is provided with a nose 50 whose cutting edge 5Iv is reasonably sharp while the forward edge 52 is concaverand is adapted to 4permit the freemovement of the conveyor 29., the top-surface 53 of the nose 56 being subtantially on the level of the platform 28;

Disposed alcove` the sprocket wheels 3| is a transverse shaft 54 having mounted'thereon the helicalv flights 55'. adapted to move toward their adjacent openings v35. In the middle of the shaft 54 is disposed a pair of flights 56 and 51 which are reversely formed in order that snow coming in contact therewith may be moved towardl its nearest opening 35.

Below the sprocket wheels 3lv is disposed a transverse shaft 58 on whose ends are mounted the helical flights 59 which tends to move snow toward their respective openings 35. Between the flights 59 are opposing flights 60 which also serve to move the snow toward their respective openings 35. Beneath the flights 59 and 60 is disposed a trough 6I. Between the side walls Z`1 are disposed the transverse shafts 62, 63 and 64 upon' which are mounted the inclined propeller blades 65 and 66. The blades 65 moving the snow in one direction while the blades 66 move it in the opposite direction and the inclination and radii of the propellers 65 and 66 is such as to insure a complete converage of the entire area thereby and at the same time preventing the possibility of an interference between the propellers themselves.

On the shafts 62, 63 and `64 are secured theV sprocket wheels 61, 68 and 69. On the `outer end of the shaft 58 is secured a sprocket wheel 1|). On the outer end of the shaft 44 is secured a sprocket wheel A chain '|2 passes around the sprockets 61, 10 and 1|, also, around the sprocket wheel '|3 on the shaft 33 and the sprocket |4 on the shaft 54. Idler sprockets 15 provide the suitable chain contact and the idler sprocket 'I6 is adjustably mounted on Ithe bracket for a chain tightening purpose. A cover plate 18 encloses the sprocket vchain '|2 and its associated sprocket wheels.

Under the nose 5U is providedia hinged shoe '|9 whose one end is mountedon the pivot pin 80 and the other end of which is connected by means of the bolt 8| to the body of the nose 50. A nut 82 on the bolt 8| engages the underside of the nose 50, while the tubular nut 83 engages the bolt 8| within a recess 84 on the top side of the nose 5U.

Attention is drawn `to Figure 10 of the drawings in which it will be seen that lthe chains 85 of the conveyor 29 occupies slots-86 formed in the platform 28 upon which they conveyor 29 rides. In Figure l1 it will be seen that the slats of the conveyor 29 are fastened directly to `the chain 85 and the slats have provided on their forward faces scraping blades by means of which snow is kept cleared away from the top ofthe platform 28.

The operation of the device is as follows:

Assuming that snow is to be moved with this plow, the truck is backed into the drift 88 and the power plant |8 causes the propellers 65 and B6 to rotate thereby cutting the snow loose and throwing it into the space between the side walls Y 28. The action of the propellers 65 and 66 is such as to cut the snow into small particles and to discharge it into the space between the side walls 21 where it is either immediately drawn into the fan openings 35 or deposited on the platform 28 and moved by the conveyor 29 within range of the fans 39.

e In order to expedite the movement of snow toward the openings 35 there are provided the curved deector elements 89 which extend downwardly toward the lower side of the Vconveyor flights 56 and 51.

It will be noted that snow which falls upon the platform 28 is carried over into the trough 6| from which it is delivered byl the flights 59 and to thefans 39. Evenif the plow is projecting into a deep drift, air can enter the fans from theunderside of the plow, that is, from the truck end thereby insuring asupply of air for conveying the snow away from the roadway.

It will be noted that the arrangement of the.

parts is such as to minimize the chance for snow to pack around the working parts which would thereby render them inoperative.`

In the placing of the propeller blades and Y 66 they are so positioned and inclined as to cover the entire area without any possibility of interference between the blades should the relative positions of the various sets of propellers become altered. Y V

If the plow is operated in very deep snow, the operator can by means of the actuators 26 move the plows point vertically. For example, the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

It will be noted that the trough 6| is cut away in front of each opening 35 in order to permit the snow to be caught by the passing air stream and drawn into the fans.

' While the details of the construction may be varied greatly without departing from the spirit of this invention, the general arrangement disclosed therein should be followed closely in order to insure the best operation of the device.

I claim:

l. A snow plow having a plurality of revolvable cutting elements on its snow engaging side in combination with a conveyor disposed beneath said cutting elements, a pair of exhaust fans having their intakes at the discharge end of said conveyor, a transverse screw conveyor mounted over the discharge end of said first mentioned conveyor adapted to move the snow from said rst mentioned inlets, a second. screw conveyor displosed below the discharge of said rst mentioned conveyor also adapted to move snow toward the inlets of said fans.

2. A snow plow consisting of a land travelling vehicle having a hinged :frame including two upright side walls having an upright connecting Wall and a somewhat inclined platform disposed between said side wa1ls,a chain conveyor adapted to move snow along said platform toward said upright wall, a plurality of inclined propeller blades mounted over said chain conveyor, exhaust fans having their inlet openings extending through said upright wall and curved deiecting elements adapted to facilitate the movement of snow toward the fan opening.

3. A snow plow having a transverse cutting edge and longitudinal supporting arms and having spaced upright side walls and a connecting front wall, a platform extending between said side walls and spaced from the front end and rear edges thereof, a chain conveyor adapted to move material along said platform towardsaid front wall, said front wall having openings formed therein and having exhaust fans mounted at said openings, a plurality of snow loosening propeller blades supported by said side walls, a transverse worm disposed over the discharge end of said chain conveyor adapted to move snow laterally toward the fan openings, and a second worm conveyorv below the discharge end of said chain conveyor having a trough on the underside of same, said second conveyor having reverse flights thereon whereby snow will be moved along said trough toward the adjacent fan opening.

JOSEPH E. MCCULLEY. 

